It was dark
by mkh2
Summary: ‘Maybe someday the Kyuubi would come out and play again.’ Uchiha Itachi recounts the sealing of the Kyuubi.


It was dark.

The day did not start out dark, as most days do – there was lots of red light everywhere at the stroke of twelve. There were none of the usual night noises, no creaking, no settling of wooden beams, no nocturnal insects, burbling brooks, alley cats on the prowl. There was none of that on the stroke of twelve on that day.

Just red fire.

And screams, lots of screams. The sounds of fighting. The sounds of people crying out in fear. And the sound of fire crackling in the midst of the mishmash of sound.

I was supposed to be hiding. I was not yet a ninja, being that I was only four and a half and had yet to pass the academy tests to qualify as a genin, but that wouldn't stop me, couldn't stop me, from witnessing quite possibly one of the most important events in our village's history since its founding.

I had snuck out of the manor and carefully made my way to the thick of the battle, my curiosity getting the better of me and compelling me to leave my post watching over my newly born baby brother in the care of a bunshin and watch the fight unfurl. I was far enough away to be out of danger, I hoped, but still…

It was beautiful. A raging inferno of fire colors, red orange yellow white, spinning out of control with each flick of its tails and each twitch of its ears, snarling in a rage I had never witnessed before. Its eyes, visible through its thick fur only due to the fact that it was vividly outlined in black were narrowed as it snarled as the small creature below him that I knew to be the Hokage.

I sat hidden and the day passed slowly. So much happened and it seemed that the day would never end though everything seemed to be at the same time to come in a rush. Periodically I would check up on my brother, thankfully getting back before I was caught away from him several times. Mostly, however, I hid amongst the rubble on the mountain and watched that glorious, powerful beast, the nine-tailed demon fox. _Kyuubi_. Its beauty was indeed breathtaking, its power awe-inspiring.

The day had proven to be a beautiful day. Clear blue skies, nary a white fluffy cloud to be spotted, not that I really looked for any, too captivated I was by the sheer magnitude that was the _fox_.

Day melted into evening melted into night and the red flaring light lit up the blackness of the sky again. Everything had been building up to this moment, everything was built up to this ear-piercing crescendo and I knew that even if I ran to my home at this moment that if the Hokage failed in defeating the Kyuubi our whole village would be lost. Our forces, our strength was too depleted, we were down on our last legs. Many had already died and I knew that if the Hokage fell before the Kyuubi did that that would be the end. Somehow I was anxious more because I wasn't sure who I wanted to win. Truly I valued my life more than it would seem – I value my life very much – but it just seemed so tragic to lose such an amazing power, for that power to be dead to the world.

The Kyuubi, in a furor, tilted its head back and let out one last, quivering piercing note in a short howl and then, eyes on the furiously signing Hokage who had reappeared about 100 kilometers in front of the Kyuubi, it pounced.

The Hokage raised his arms and a bright light flooded the area around him, blinding in the sheer whiteness of it and the Kyuubi, who had jumped almost into the light, seemed to melt into it with one last snarl. One last silken pool of red moved in a slithering cloud in front of the Hokage before swooping down like a tiny hurricane and disappearing into a tiny bundle on the raised platform at the Hokage's feet. It was dark. The Hokage tiredly lowered his arms. He swayed.

He fell.

It was more like crumpled. He bent in on himself, his knees buckled, he shifted slightly to the right and drooped and seemed to lie in a tiny pile next to the platform, one hand grasping at something that lied there.

Again the curiosity got the best of me. I moved forward silently, curious as to what happened, but only stayed a moment since I knew that many shinobi would soon swoop down on this place to tend to our Hokage.

Who was now dead.

I had stared in mute surprise; after all, I had merely thought him tired but he really was really and truly dead. I closed my eyes in mild regret. He was a great Hokage, very powerful and wise and now there were two powers that were gone from this world—

There was a pitiful cry to my left and I looked at the source of the noise, kunai at the ready.

He was beautiful.

Soft curls of blonde hair, soft pale skin, he was very brightly visible even in this darkness. Tiny pink lips opened in closed in almost inaudible cries, probably having cried himself hoarse after the course of the day. Eyes cracked open slightly for a moment to show a brilliant shade of blue and I wondered if his eyes would always remain thus or if was merely due to that blue film all babies have when they are born. There were three whisker-like marks on each cheek and a beautifully painted seal on his belly and he showed his frustrations to the world by kicking his feet lightly and shaking his tiny fists. I quickly numbered his fingers and toes and decided he was perfect. He brought a special glow to his surroundings. Maybe it was because of the power emanating from his tiny body.

I rushed home.

I slipped through the manor and took custody of my sleeping brother from the bunshin momentarily to make sure he was put to bed and did likewise with myself, and as I lay there and struggled to make my eyes closed I heard the night noises come back as the village around us righted itself.

The Hokage was dead. One great power gone from this world forever, but…

The Kyuubi had the prettiest vessel one could ever hope for, and thus still remained here, and maybe someday he would come out and play again.

One could only hope and I, Uchiha Itachi, will be there when he does.

* * *

Owari 

Hum, I wrote this in about half an hour between 1:15am and 1:45am on 2/26/05. Hope it didn't turn out too bad. I was sleepy and had just gotten over a migraine. (Something about the smell of baked potatoes makes me feel sick, even if I like to eat them…)


End file.
